Staff Training, Peer Awareness Benefit Trauma-Afflicted Students
Nearly half of all children in the U.S. have experienced at least one or more types of serious childhood trauma, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The impact of trauma negatively affects student attendance, learning, and achievement. By educating staff on child trauma, warning signs, and proper response, you can create support structures for students impacted by trauma.
“Young people who’ve experienced trauma have an overwhelming desire for a safe environment,” said Terri Howard, senior director at FEI Behavioral Health, a crisis management firm in Milwaukee.
Trauma can affect people both biologically and neurologically. For instance, students who’ve had trauma may have problems controlling emotions. “A simple classroom request can make a child very frustrated, not necessarily because they don’t know the answer, but because they don’t have the capacity,” Howard said. “When people experience trauma, there’s a part of the brain that is affected that controls managing emotions. A child may overreact to a situation, which may be as a result of trauma.”
Howard provided the following strategies to support students who’ve been impacted by trauma:
Increase awareness
Build peer relationships
Ensure teacher training
Cast a wide net
Strive for continuity
Engage school counselors
Get parents on board
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